Entered CNET Catalog: 03/11/2006
SKU: 100606065
Manufacturer: Dodge
Product summary
The good: The 2006 Dodge Grand Caravan offers plenty of tech, such as a Bluetooth hands-free system, a six-disc CD/DVD changer with satellite radio, and a rear LCD for a broad range of entertainment options.
The bad: The Caravan's navigation screen is small with flimsy, confusing controls. The interior space is not designed efficiently, and the power train is underwhelming, with a primitive four-speed automatic.
The bottom line: The 2006 Dodge Grand Caravan SXT hits the trifecta for tech options, including cell phone integration, navigation, and MP3 playback, but the implementation isn't always top-notch. Mediocre performance, handling, and fuel economy add to this car's compromises.
Editors' review
- Editors' Choice: No
- Reviewed on: 03/21/2006
But the vehicle falls short when it comes to performance. Its 3.8-liter V-6 engine and ho-hum four-speed automatic transmission strain to accelerate on highway on-ramps and uphill. With predominantly freeway driving, gas mileage averaged just slightly better than 18mpg--not quite meeting the car's EPA rating of 18mpg city/25mpg highway. Also, the turning radius is less than stellar, which made for tricky maneuvering in and out of parking spaces.
The Caravan's interior space is poorly designed. The awkwardly shaped center console doesn't hold much more than the included remote control for the rear video screen, which would be better placed in the backseat. Three adjustable overhead compartments are convenient for only small items such as sunglasses or pens. The cup holders are shallow and loose, so water bottles and soda cups fall over easily.
The base price of our 2006 Grand Caravan SXT was $27,100. Options included a trailer-tow package with load leveling and height control, a heavy-duty radiator and a trailer-tow wiring harness ($600); an upgraded interior package with heated, leather-trimmed power seats, Infinity speakers, and three-zone climate control ($2,390); a premium package with power-adjustable pedals, a parking sensor, a security alarm, and touring suspension ($1,020); side-curtain air bags ($605); a navigation/front entertainment system ($1,430); Sirius Satellite Radio with one year of service included ($195); the UConnect hands-free phone system ($360); a rear-seat entertainment system with 7-inch overhead video screen ($990); and a $730 destination charge for a grand total of $35,950.
The 2006 Dodge Grand Caravan SXT offers a complete array of information and entertainment options. The instrument cluster, while not the most attractive, is well organized and easy to read. But the trip computer and the gas-mileage display are located on the ceiling directly above the rearview mirror, which we found confusing and inconvenient.The six-speaker Infinity audio system provides good, full sound. The AM/FM radio with integrated Sirius satellite receiver offers seamless switching between terrestrial and digital radio stations. The six-disc CD/DVD changer plays MP3 files burned to disc but does not display ID3-tag information. Front RCA jacks for left and right audio, as well as video make it easy to hook up any MP3 player or video game console with the proper adapter.
We were disappointed in the small navigation screen and the poorly designed controls. Because of the counterintuitive location of many buttons, it takes extra time to operate. Setting a radio preset, for example, took more steps than is normally necessary. We were also frustrated to discover the navigation system does not allow input while the car is moving. We had to stop and pull over to change our destination.
We particularly liked the UConnect hands-free communication system, which is compatible with more than 50 Bluetooth-enabled phones. The system's voice-activation feature turns on and off with a single button located below the rearview mirror, letting drivers keep their eyes on the road at all times. Users can pair a phone, dial a number, or add a contact to the phone book with just a few simple voice commands, although it won't copy over an existing phone book. A polite female voice guided us through the setup and even told us when we were out of our coverage area.
The center console takes up a great deal of space yet holds little. A hinged, built-in remote control holder for the DVD changer sits inside, blocking access to the storage tray underneath.
The rear 7-inch LCD video screen has a wide viewable angle. Included wireless headphones produce good sound and ensure that the driver or other passengers won't be distracted. Multiple 12-volt DC power adapters throughout the vehicle allow for easy access for charging cell phones or other devices requiring power.
Climate-control settings take a while to kick in, and dual climate zones for the driver and front passenger work well only when set within a few degrees of one another. Seat warmers on both front seats offer two temperature settings. The backseat climate controls are easy to use and provide ample ventilation throughout the cabin.
The eight-way power driver's seat is comfortable but doesn't have quite the range of adjustability of other current car models. The two second-row bucket seats offer more support than expected, and adjustable headrests accommodate passengers of varying height. Pop-out, door-side cup holders keep beverages out of the way but are not well suited for any container other than a standard 12-ounce soda can. Back bench seating is cramped; the second-row bucket seats must be moved all the way forward to offer any reasonable legroom. Our rear passengers also complained of a rough ride and excessive sliding around corners.
One of the highlights of the Dodge Grand Caravan SXT is the large amount of storage space under the floor. When the passenger seats are in the upright position, the deep compartments beneath the floorboards are a great place to keep valuables such as laptop bags and jewelry cases out of sight. However, the seams between the floorboards are not well sealed, so dirt, crumbs, and liquid could escape through the cracks and onto cargo below.
One notable flaw is the lack of a console or shelving in the back cabin. This makes it tricky and potentially messy for passengers to eat or access personal belongings on the go. Three sliding overhead storage compartments (one in the front and two in the back) are small and narrow; we couldn't fit much more than a pair of sunglasses in each.
Folding down the seats is a relatively easy, albeit clunky, process. One concern is the speed and force with which the second-row bucket seats collapse when pressing the release button, which could be dangerous for small children. The bench seat stows and reassembles smoothly; numbered tabs on the back of the seat explain the process.
The 2006 Dodge Grand Caravan SXT gets average marks for performance. Our test vehicle came equipped with a 3.8-liter, 215-horsepower V-6 engine with 245 pound-feet of torque--the most powerful available for this model. While the power train was adequate for city driving and at cruising speeds, we found the car hesitated to accelerate on freeway on-ramps and uphill. Part of the problem can be attributed to the four-speed automatic transmission, which shifts on the sluggish side. Another factor is the car's bulky 4,252-pound base curb weight. We tested the car with only one adult passenger and a small amount of cargo, so the vehicle could be even less peppy with a full load.
Our test model came with an optional trailer-tow prep package that included load leveling and height control, a heavy-duty radiator, a trailer-tow wiring harness, and an upgraded 600-ampere battery. Towing capacity for the 2006 Dodge Grand Caravan SXT is listed at 3,800 pounds, which is enough to pull a trailer carrying a small recreational vehicle such as a Jet Ski or an ATV.
Handling is average for a minivan of this class. Steering felt on the loose side and was not as responsive as we would have liked. The four-wheel, antilock disc brakes stopped the car quickly on both on wet and dry roads but felt a bit mushy underfoot.
Listed EPA fuel economy for the 2006 Dodge Grand Caravan SXT is 18mpg in the city and 25mpg on the highway. Gas mileage wasn't as good in our car. A mix of freeway and city driving averaged just better than 18mpg. By the end of a long freeway trip, we peaked at about 19mpg. On the plus side, the large 20-gallon fuel tank kept us from stopping too often to fill up.
Emissions ratings for this vehicle are reasonable; it produces an estimated 9.1 tons of greenhouse gases annually and has a smog index of 0.5, for a LEV II/BIN rating of 5.
The 2006 Dodge Grand Caravan SXT has all the safety features one would expect from a modern family car. Front advanced multistage air bags, antilock brakes, traction control, and a LATCH-ready child-seat anchor system come standard on all models. Our vehicle came with optional three-row supplemental side-curtain air bags. Integrated child safety seats are also available.We were immediately fond of the automatic rear hatch and the sliding doors on both sides. One or two easy clicks of the remote eliminated the risk of strained arms or pinched fingers.
Adjustable pedals are a nice touch for drivers of smaller stature. Moving the pedals closer allowed us to safely operate the car with the driver's seat farther away from the steering wheel, which could potentially reduce the risk of injury from air-bag deployment. However, the extra seat distance made it more difficult to reach the climate and navigation controls.
The available ParkSense rear park-assist system was helpful when attempting to parallel park or back up in tight areas, but we found the warning beep a little on the late side. We prefer the gradual warning signals of other park-assist systems.
One feature we particularly disliked was the autodimming rearview mirror. Although it's designed to reduce eyestrain from bright headlights, we found it too dim. In fact, we had a California Highway Patrol car behind us for two miles before we could see the outline of the light bar on top of the car.
The 2006 Dodge Grand Caravan SXT includes a three-year/36,000-mile bumper-to-bumper limited warranty with towing assistance. Brakes, wiper blades, clutch discs, windshield, rear, window, and wheel alignment/balancing are covered for 12 months or 12,000 miles.
User opinions
Select a User Opinion to view: 1 2 3 4out of 4 user reviews
Reliable family van with user friendly features.
Pros: Safety ratings and features, power doors and liftgate are great while shopping with kids, good gas mileage. Got hit in an 05 by a drunk driver, caused in excess of $11,000 damage, we were sitting at a light on a highway w/ 50 MPH limit, no injuries.
Cons: Safety features (side air bags, ESP) were not standard in 06 as they are now.
out of 4 user reviews
Not what was expected..
Pros: Roomy and nice cargo space
Cons: Bad steering and bumpy ride. Like there is no shocks at all on vehicle
Finally, the swapped the left front tire for the right.. This mostly corrected the pulling..
When driving down the road there is a very irritating vibration in the steering wheel.. Took it back to dealer and was advised that they all did this.. They took me for a ride in a 2007 grand caravan and sure enough it did the same thing.
I never noticed this until the deal was closed or I would never have purchased this vehicle.. Very disappointed overall with vehicle..
Be sure to take a LONG test drive before purchasing and listed and feel.. The salesman will try to keep you mind off what you are looking for.. Don't let him..
out of 4 user reviews
Great family or utility vehicle.
Pros: Super value for the money.
Cons: In my opinion, there are none to mention.
out of 4 user reviews
Fantastic Minivan
Pros: Well Designed Interior, Stow and Go leather seats, DVD Player with iPod Video Connections, Sunroof, Heated Seats
Cons: Automatic 5 speed would have been nice
Power is adequate and vehicle is quite. A 5 speed automatic would have been nice, but the 3.8 liter is responsive otherwise. The tight turning is excellent as well....very easy to drive and park.
Lastly, this van actually looks decent and rivals the Honda in my opinion and beats the Toyota and Nissan in looks hands down. All this for about 27k, you can't beat it.
